Bridas wooing Taliban for $4.5bn Pak gas pipeline

Even as the Talibans are still fighting to establish
complete control over Afghanistan, three multinationals, including two
American, are trying to woo the Islamic militia for its support to the
proposed multi-billion dollar oil and gas pipelines to be laid through the
country.

Bridas and Unocal still fighting over
Turkmenistan-Pakistan pipeline

Nov. 5, 1997 Hearings are still going on in a lawsuit of
Argentine oil and gas firm Bridas S.A.. against Unocal Corp.

The chief of Bridas' Afghan operations, meanwhile, said
earlier this week that his company was close to signing a pipeline
agreement with the Taliban, the Islamic movement that controls large parts
of Afghan territory, including virtually all the proposed pipeline route.
He said Bridas would start construction as soon as the deal is signed.

Sugar
Land, Texas, Oct. 5, 1998 - Unocal Corporation today said that
the Texas District Court in Fort Bend County has granted
the company's request for summary judgement and dismissed the lawsuit
filed by Bridas Corporation.

"We are pleased that the court has granted
our request," said Roger C. Beach, Unocal chairman and chief
executive officer. "From the outset, we have maintained that we did
not interfere with Bridas' business and it was inappropriate for them to
sue Unocal in the United States concerning business activities in
Turkmenistan and Afghanistan."

Judge Brady Elliott in his decision issued Oct. 2
said that any dispute between Unocal and Bridas was governed by the laws
of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan rather than Texas law.

In February 1996, Bridas filed a petition against
Unocal and others alleging that the defendants interfered with Bridas'
rights under agreements with the government of Turkmenistan to develop the
Yashlar field and to transport natural gas from that field to Pakistan.

"We have always maintained that this case
was totally without merit," Beach said. "Unocal operates around
the world under a set of values that recognize the political, economic and
cultural rights of our host countries, while maintaining the honesty
and integrity necessary for successful global
relationships." (What! I
remember Sept. 11, 2001)

Unocal is one of the world's largest independent
oil and gas exploration and production companies, with major resource
development, power plant and pipeline projects in Asia, the U.S. Gulf of
Mexico region and Latin America.

El Segundo, Calif., Sept. 14, 2001 -- Unocal
Corporation is not supporting the Taliban in Afghanistan in any way
whatsoever. Nor do we have any project or involvement in Afghanistan.

Beginning in late 1997, Unocal was a member of a multinational
consortium that was evaluating construction of a Central Asia Gas (CentGas)
pipeline between Turkmenistan and Pakistan. Part of this pipeline would
have crossed western Afghanistan. However, Unocal suspended its
participation in the CentGas consortium in August 1998 and formally
withdrew from that consortium in December 1998. Our company has had no
further role in developing or funding that project or any other project
that might involve the Taliban. The pipeline was never constructed.

During this time, Afghanistan was in the midst of a civil war. We met
with many factions, including the Taliban, to educate them about the
benefits such a pipeline could bring to this desperately poor and war-torn
country, as well as to the Central Asian region. At no time did we make
any deal with the Taliban, and, in fact, consistently emphasized that the
project could not and would not proceed until there was an internationally
recognized government in place in Afghanistan that fairly represented all
its people. Our hope was that the project could help bring peace,
stability and economic development to the Afghans, as well as develop
important energy resources for the region.

Unocal suspended participation in the pipeline consortium in August
1998 (see statement).
Unocal officially withdrew from the consortium (in accordance with the
consortium contracts) in December 1998 (see news
release). After several incorrect reports appeared, including one
published in Pakistan in February 1999, Unocal reconfirmed its position
regarding this matter in another statement dated February 1999 (see news
release).

News Release: El Segundo, Calif., Aug. 21, 1998

Unocal will only participate in construction of the proposed Central
Asia Gas Pipeline when and if Afghanistan achieves the peace and stability
necessary to obtain financing from international lending agencies for this
project and an established government is recognized by the United
Nations and the United States. For this reason, we strongly
support the United Nations conflict resolution process
underway in this and other regions.

So
how long have they been planning this "War on Terrorism"?

Well
with that said now we can see why we needed so desperately to get the
Taliban out of control and our guy in control: see Profile of Hamid Karzai
(weren't we pissed off because women were wearing Burkas?)

Hamid Karzai, who
is as comfortable discussing sitting on a carpet as in a Washington or
London "salon", has a profound knowledge of the western world.
After Kabul and India, where he has studied law, he completed his
learnings in the USA, where he acted, for a while, as a consultant for the
American oil company Unocal, at the time it was considering building a
pipeline in Afghanistan.

But
our "oil boys" were negotiating this way way back with the
Taliban in 1997 Sugerland Texas to be exact. Texas is where the Bush Crime
Family reign isn't it?

Central Asia Pipeline Projects
Six international companies and the government of Turkmenistan formed
Central Asia Gas Pipeline, Ltd., in October 1997. Unocal's interest is
54.11 percent. The group is developing a project to link Turkmenistan's
abundant proven natural gas reserves with markets in Pakistan and India.
This was a significant step forward, although major obstacles remain - key
among them being current instability in Afghanistan, through which a major
portion of the gas pipeline would run. Unocal is also involved in a
parallel proposal to build an oil pipeline to transport Central Asian oil
resources to an export terminal on the Arabian Sea.

But wait a minute we have breaking news: IT
IS about the women of the veil....

Since the pipeline project was first proposed in 1995, there have been
a number of complex issues that Unocal has taken very seriously. Unocal
recognized the legitimate concerns regarding the treatment of women in
Afghanistan.hummmmmmm Consistent
with our core values and business principles, Unocal provided humanitarian
support and skills training to Afghanistan through CARE and the University
of Nebraska at Omaha. Neither program was designed to provide pipeline
construction skills training.(Yeah
Right) These programs met or exceeded UN guidelines
for doing fieldwork in Afghanistan. They included basic job skills
training and education for both men and women, and elementary education
for boys and girls. Unocal also supported earthquake relief efforts
through the Red Cross and the United Nations.

OK so it all this about
9/11......Burkas.......or OIL, You be the judge.